Obesity is a serious health threat throughout the industrialized nations. It can lead to significant illnesses and premature death. Unfortunately, its rate of incidence is increasing. Obesity is a major disorder affecting as much as one third of the North American population. Several studies have shown that such individuals are at increased risk in developing cardiovascular disease (hypertension and hypercholesterolemia), diabetes and several types of cancer. The effective treatment of obesity, however, remains a largely unachieved goal. Existing pharmacotherapeutic approaches to weight loss involve the use of amphetamine-based agents such as amphetamine, diethylpropion, mazindol and fenfluramine which act directly on the CNS to lower food intake by modulating dopaminergic, adrenergic and/or serotonergic mechanisms. Although weight loss can be achieved with such agents, their use is restricted due to CNS side-effects, potential addiction liability and the production of tolerance to their actions, with chronic administration leading to potential depression, vestibular disturbances, hallucinations and addiction, as well as interference with the actions of other drugs such as MAO inhibitors and antihypertensives. There is also a subpopulation of obese patients that is refractory to present anorectic drug treatments. The medical need is high for an effective agent which overcomes the above disadvantages of existing therapies. Of particular need are agents which act by alternative mechanisms to modulate food intake and/or metabolism.
When people eat, their bodies turn the Carbohydrates in food into glucose (sugar) to use as fuel. In healthy people, insulin helps the glucose get into the cells. In people with obesity, glucose builds up in the blood beyond a normal or healthy level. In the absence of low insulin levels (as in obese patients) the blood glucose level rises above the safe levels.
Many patents teach and claim pharmaceutical or food compositions for the treatment of obesity or achieving weight reduction. U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,702 teaches a bread weight loss composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,460 teaches a method for producing human weight loss comprising administering an effective amount of aspirin, caffeine and ephedrine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,118 teaches a dietary supplement of minerals vitamin and skimmed milk.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,049 teaches treating obesity by the administration of gamma-linolenic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,574 teaches weight reduction in humans by administering a composition comprising zinc acetate and copper.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,603 teaches appetite suppression by administering to the patient a diet containing potassium hydroxycitric lactone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,531 teaches a method of inducing weight loss by administering to a patient a lectin selected from pokeweed mitogen and Momordica lectin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,117 teaches a method for treating obesity comprising administering a compound whose mechanism of action includes antagonism of the kainite and/or AMPA receptor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,861 teaches an ingestible formulation of fiber for absorbing water for weight control.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,926 teaches a method for effecting weight reduction in a patient by administering to the patient zinc acetate and copper gluconate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,873 teaches a method of regulation of appetite and body weight with materials derived from citrus plants.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,887 teaches a nutritional product having controlled absorption of carbohydrate. The product taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,887 comprises protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber and disaccharides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,839 teaches an enteral diet and method for providing nutrition to a patient based on low carbohydrates, high fat, plus protein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,723 teaches a food material comprising a farinaceous substance and a fatty acid compound to achieve a slowed absorption of said food material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,949 teaches a dietary system high in oil intake using carbohydrates, oil, and hormones to reduce fat storage and stimulate the glucagon-driven pathway.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,803 teaches nutritional products containing acid treated starches.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,607 teaches the use of propylene glycol alginate to improve the texture of food compositions, particularly pasta.
No correlation of use of propylene glycol alginate and obesity reduction is taught or implied in the references discussed herein.
What is needed is a dietary treatment for patients suffering from obesity which reduces the glycemic index of foods for said patients. The dietary treatment should supply nutrition to an obese patient while substantially reducing said patient's blood glucose level, preventing weight gain, and promoting body weight loss. A dietary treatment for patients with obesity which is low in fat and or cholesterol would also be desirable.